The film centers on Henry, a field surgeon suffering from PTSD after combat in the Middle East, who creates a man out of body parts in a makeshift lab in Gowanus, Brooklyn. The creature must navigate a strange new world and the rivalry between Henry and his conniving collaborator Polidori. Fessenden also wrote the film’s script.

Depraved is set to star David Call (Tiny Furniture), Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project), and Alex Breaux (Bushwick) as the monster. Fessenden’s previous directing credits include the hugely influential vampire tale Habit and the Ron Perlman-starring eco-horror movie, The Last Winter.

Depraved marks a partnership between Fessenden’s company Glass Eye Pix and Forager Film Company, a film collective run by Joe Swanberg, Peter Gilbert, and Edwin Linker. The film will be produced by Jenn Wexler (director of the upcoming The Ranger) and Fessenden.

“I am very grateful to have Forager support this deeply personal and visceral take on the Frankenstein story,” said Fessenden in a statement. “I’ve been moved by the iconic character since childhood, and it is a great thrill to try to put my version on screen.”

“Larry Fessenden has consistently made groundbreaking, intelligent, socially relevant films in addition to shepherding some of the most important young voices in genre filmmaking,” says Swanberg, whose own directing credits include Drinking Buddies and the TV show Easy. “We could not be more excited to collaborate with him on this project.”